Ironing-board.



PATBN'TED DEC. 1, 1903.

S. J. BROWN.

IRONING BOARD.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 11, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

vwemfbz Patented December 1, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL J. BROWN, OF'DENVER, COLORADO.

lRONlNG-BOARD.

SPEQIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 745,955, dated December 1, 1903. Application filed November 11, 1902. Serial No. 130,922. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL J. BROWN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ironing- Boards; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the in vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains t) make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in ironing-boards of the class in which the supporting-leg and the board are pivotally connected, the leg passing through a slot formed in one end of the board and the two parts forming a clamp to bite the projecting edge of a table or other suitable support.

My improvements consist of certain adjustable features which adapt the device for attachment to tables of varying height without changing the horizontal position of the board proper and means for supporting the board applied at a suitable distance from the pivotal point to prevent it from bending downward in response to pressure thereon during use. These features, together with others which serve to increase the usefulness and general practicability of the device, will now be described in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device in position for use, the adjustable clamping feature being shown, but not utilized. Fig. 2 is a top or plan View of the same. Fig. 3 illustrates the device folded and partly in section. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the device, showing the clamping feature on a larger scale, but in the same relative position as in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the adjustable clamping feature utilized. In Figs. a and 5 the adjustable clamp feature is shown in section taken through the slot. Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6 6, Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a detail top view of the adjustable wedge, shown on a larger scale.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate the board proper, whose wider extremity is slotted, as shown at 6, to receive the upper extremity of the leg 7, which is pivoted, as shown at 8, between two lugs 9, attached to the under surface of the board on opposite sides of the slot. The clamping extremity 7 of the leg 7 occupies a difierent plane from the body of the leg, so that when the device is-in use this end of the leg shall occupy a position parallel or approximately parallel with this end of the board. Attached to the upper surface of the part 7 of the leg and extending rearwardly therefrom is a metal fiat-iron support 10, having a depending rearwardly-located leg 10 adapted to enter a slight recess formed in the leg for supporting the rear extremity of the plate.

Attached to the leg, at or near the angle of the body thereof and the clamping part 7, is an adjustable wedge-shaped part 12, consisting of a block preferably composed of metal and slotted to receive a set-screw 13, which passes therethrough and holds the device in place. This may or may not be used, as desired and according to circumstances. The parts are so adjusted that without this device 12 they will fit a table, say, of minimum height-that is to say, when applied to a table of ordinary minimum height the board will occupy a horizontal position, or a position parallel with the top of the table. Now with a higher table the leg 7 must be moved to a different angle with the floor or supporting-surface upon which the device rests, or, in other words, it must be made to approach the vertical position, the degree of this movement depending upon the height of the table. As the leg is given this movement the clamping-jaws will be opened wider, or, more correctly speaking, the jaw or part 7 will be moved to form a greater space between it and the cooperating clamping extremity of the board, unless the board beyond the pivot 8, or to the right of said pivot, referring to the drawings, is tilted downwardly to close this space and make it the proper width to clamp the table; but this movement of the board would cause it to occupy an inclined position. In order to maintain the board in the horizontal position, the increased space between the jaw 7 and the top of the table must be filled, and the part 12 performs this function when properly adjusted. Assuming that the device is in the idle position, as shown in Fig. 4, it is moved to the operative position, as shown in Fig. 5, by loosening the set-screw and sliding the part 12 toward the left, the degree of movement depending on the height of the table or the space to be filled in order to maintain all the parts in the proper operative position.

In order to support the board 5 from a tendency to spring downwardly when pressure is applied, a ratchet-bar 14 is pivotallyconnected with a depending bracket 15, attached to the under surface of the board. The bar 14 passes through an opening 7, formed in the leg 7, and its ratchet-teeth 14 are arranged to engage a pin 16, attached to the leg. The ratchet arm or bar is adjusted as circumstances may require. In order to fold the device or cause it to occupy the position shown in Fig. 3, it is first detached from the table-top 4 by disengaging the ratchet-bar from the pin 16 and moving the parts sufficiently for the purpose. The leg 7 is then moved toward the board part 5 until it engages the same or occupies a position parallel therewith. The bracket 15 then projects through the opening 7 in the leg, and the ratchet bar is folded against the leg and slipped over a hook 17 on the leg, which holds the parts in the folded position. The connection between the ratchet-bar and the bracket is sufficiently loose to permit the necessary lateral movement of the bar to allow engagement with the hook.

By reason of the peculiar shape of the notches in the bar 14 the bar is prevented from moving either upwardly or downwardly. Attention is also called to the fact that the inner face of the wedge 12, or that which engages the jaw extremity of the leg, is toothed or roughened to prevent any tendency to move or slide rearwardly after adjustment.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- V 1. In an ironing-board, the combination with the leg and board proper pivoted together as described, and arranged to clamp a suitable support, of a bracket attached to the board on the under side, a ratchet-bar pivotally connected with the bracket and passing through an opening formed in the leg, a pin attached to the leg and cooperating with the said bar, and a hook attached to the leg and adapted to engage the bar for holding the parts in the folded position, substantially as described.

2. In an ironing-board, the combination with the leg and board parts pivotally connected together and arranged to clamp a suitable support, the leg passing through a central slot formed in the clamping end of the board, the clamping part of the leg extending above the clamping part of the board and occupying a different plane from the body of the leg, a block fixedly attached to the leg above the pivot and at the angle between its clamping part and its body part, the said block being adjustable whereby it may be moved to engagement with different portions of the clamping part as may be desired.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL J. BROWN. 

